Summertime Blues.

Summer has officially sprang on us as scheduled. Yet, like a surprise visit from an aunt you haven't heard from in a while, the conditions have been lingering for a while now. Long forgotten are the days in which we were complaining of, "the long winter" we had and now at times we crave a few frigid nights. Times when the conditions were miserably cold we could enjoy the indoors without a sun and overgrown weeds reminding us of our need to face the sweltering conditions. 

"Hello you beautiful sunshine."

"Oh, and hey humidity."

"Oh, hey bugs." 

"Whats up electric bill." 

Despite the first-world problems and minimal to actually complain about, fall is right around the corner. Yes, fall, probably the longest, most-recognized season of the year. I mean, autumn feels at times to start in August, for football kicks off, and goes until December. What a demanding season he is. 

Think about it. It just turned summer, officially. Next is the Fourth of July, then back to school sales start happening. The summer gets shorter, the autumns get longer, spring is gone, and winter is everything else. Without going into a global warming debate I do find it worthy of our time to acknowledge changes occurring culturally based on the lack of recognition of summer. 

We look to summer as our saving grace, school employees even more so, yet here we are looking towards the end of June, already morning the loss of the first month of summer. Like that surprise aunt that shows up, she never unpacks her things, never gets comfortable, for she is leaving soon. She will leave one night when we are all asleep. When she feels like it. When we just got comfortable with her being around. She was abrasive at first, for her conditions, at times, insufferable. Yet, she brings with her peaceful, early, sunshiny mornings, late, sunset nights, and invites the smell of grilled, animal flesh to fill the air. 

She is summer, and she is a great companion. Yet, we discount her every chance we get because she challenges us. She wants us to go outside, makes us feel guilty if we don't. Summer invites us to do things, for everyday that passes is just one less opportunity, or one more reminder of Uncle Fall, and frigid Nanny Winter to live here for a while. 

We may not invite these people honestly, yet once we are reminded of the pleasures they bring to the table and their natural cycle of visits, we get used to them. 

Taking a moment to enjoy the summer before it passes is important, vitamin D and all that, but more so because nothing is better or worse than it is right now. 

God Bless. 

By the way, Castle-Broken: When appearances are everything, is available Here. A great summertime/educational read for those of you who want to learn more about the internal thoughts and external behaviors about body image disorders.